As you peruse this special, biennial issue of Modern Machine Shop, it is difficult to avoid the fact that North America's premier manufacturing event is upon us. Yes, IMTS is here.

It has been our custom to dedicate the August issue to pre-show coverage of this 600-pound canary of trade shows. It has become my personal custom (OK, I did this 2 years ago) to dedicate this column to some trivial blurbs that relate only to the pursuit of virtually useless information.

My idea here is to give you a place to rest your eyes and mind from the huge amount of IMTS related information contained in this biblically proportioned issue of Modern Machine Shop. Don't get me wrong, it is important to read about what's going on display at the show. It's important to look through this issue for companies, products and services that you want to see in Chicago or check out on the Web if you're not attending. We are chock full of stuff this month. But for a break, use this column to amuse yourself and amaze your friends with some of these obscure factoids. Here goes…

The title of this column is a paraphrase of "Say it ain't so, Joe." A young fan of shoeless Joe Jackson allegedly spoke this quote on hearing that his favorite player had been suspended from baseball after the Black Sox scandal in 1919.

Mosquito repellents don't repel. They hide you. The spray works by blocking the mosquito's sensors so they don't know you're there.

The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for blood plasma.

The first product to use bar coding was Wrigley's gum.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV. (Not to be confused with sleeping in front of the TV).

A Boeing 747's wingspan is longer than the Wright brothers' first flight.

American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first class.

The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

Marilyn Monroe is said to have had six toes. (Wonder who noticed?)

Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

All U.S. presidents have worn glasses.

Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

Turtles can breathe through their butts.

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